


Drive-In Hearts

by writwit



Category: Grease (1978), Kingdom Hearts (Video Games), The Outsiders (1983), The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: 1950s, Alternate Universe - 1950s, Alternate Universe - Greasers, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Small Town, F/M, Gang Violence, Gangs, Greasers, High School, Organization XIII (Kingdom Hearts), Romance, Teen Romance, Twilight Town (Kingdom Hearts)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-24 06:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30067725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writwit/pseuds/writwit
Summary: Drive-In Hearts is a Kingdom Hearts AU that takes place in a 1950s Twilight Town. The stories revolve around Organization XIII as a greaser gang, and a female OC gets in trouble due to her friendship with one greaser and her love interest in another.
Relationships: Braig (Kingdom Hearts)/Original Character(s), Xigbar (Kingdom Hearts) & Original Character(s)
Kudos: 2





	1. Rumors

Ellie stared at the Roman numeral IX in front of her, the boy’s leather jacket distorting it as he moved about in his seat. He yawned and stretched his arms up high, and as he did so a ripped piece of paper fluttered from his grasp, landing softly on her desk.

_**On a scale from 1-10, how much do ya dig B?** _

Ellie rolled her eyes and crumpled the paper, shoving it in her backpack. This wasn’t the time to be fooling around in class, and she wasn’t about to get in trouble.

The greasy haired teen took a quick glance behind him, discovering that his friend hadn’t read the note. He sighed and ripped another piece of paper, scribbling again. He made eye contact with her after he finished, only to receive a warning in her dark eyes. He returned to face the front, and the teacher was still lecturing away without a care in the world. He seized the opportunity to be less discreet. He turned and slid his hand back to firmly place the note on her desk, a stronger command for her to read it.

_**Answer me, honeybee! How much do ya dig B?!** _

“Passing notes again, are we Dennis?”

Dennis swiveled in his seat to find that Mr. Eraqus had stopped writing, and the entire class stared at him.

“Nah, teach, don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dennis quipped as he leaned back in his seat.

“Heh, that’s a pathetic attempt if I ever saw one.”

Ellie followed the music of his laidback voice. A few seats behind was a man with an alluring Cheshire grin, upheld by a row of bruised knuckles.

His name was B, Number II of The Organization.

He ran his rough fingers through freshly greased strands of black. His cheekbones ascended into its natural charm, playing along with his sarcastic smirk. Ellie marveled at his rugged beauty, her face mimicking his expression. Once he noticed the acknowledgement, the scar on his left cheek concealed itself. He chuckled, toying with the cigarette on his ear and scoffing at the greaser sitting in front of her.

“Nobody asked you, wise guy,” Dennis muttered.

Mr. Eraqus sighed, shutting his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. He had enough of these hoodlums. “This is your first warning, Dennis. If I catch you again, we’re gonna have a serious problem,” he said.

“Yeah, whatever,” Dennis replied dismissively.

Mr. Eraqus shook his head and resumed teaching.

Ellie stared at the note on her desk, pursing her lips and rolling a pen between her fingers.

_**Answer me, honeybee! How much do ya dig B?!** _

She turned back quietly, only to find B slicking back his hair and winking with devilish amusement.

~~

“Ellie! You didn’t answer my question!” Dennis exclaimed. They made their way to band class with instruments in tow.

“I don’t have to,” Ellie replied. “Besides, I don’t know if I can date someone like you.”

“Someone like me? You mean a greaser?” he said, laughing. “Come on! I’m in band for crying out loud!”

“You must be the oddball of the gang then,” she replied.

They entered the classroom and gathered in their respective sections. Dennis sat behind Ellie this time, and he took out his saxophone while Ellie read the sheet music in front of her.

“I mean hey, every Organization member is odd in some way. But I’m coolsville all the way, baby!” he exclaimed, beaming with boyish charm.

Ellie laughed. “I wouldn’t be hanging out with you otherwise,” she said.

Dennis moved to the empty seat next to her, straddling the chair and leaning in. He blew up the pesky hairs dangling on his forehead, which was the result of the bustling day and his inability to maintain a unique mullet.

“So, now that we are hanging out as we speak, what's your tale, nightingale? What do ya think about B?!” he asked again. He fixed his hair with his fingers, combing the dirty blond strands back into the grease.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Are you writing a book? My feelings don’t matter right now,” she retorted. She grasped her flute and played scales, hoping to drown out her best friend’s voice.

“Why won’t you tell me?!” he exclaimed, assaulting her line of vision by shaking her shoulders.

She gasped into her flute and the sound erupted strangely like the burp of a bird. She released her breath and rested the instrument on her lap. Dennis’s eyes of cyan encountered her sincerity after she gave her feelings some thought.

“I don’t know, bud. That B... your gang... it’s all bad news,” she replied. She crossed her arms to hide the insecurity of liking someone so dangerous.

Dennis pursed his lips. “But they’re my friends. I fit in with them. They’re tough enough for me,” he said.

She sighed, touching his shoulder. “I know. Even though I don’t agree with everything they do... I gotta admit it’s pretty neat that they look out for you,” she replied, smiling.

Dennis scoffed. “Oh man, did ya hear what B said this morning? He made me feel like a candy-ass!” he groaned. “They protect me from jocks and they protect me from myself!”

Ellie laughed. “Hey, I thought it was tough. I wouldn’t have the guts to lie to the teacher like that.”

Dennis smiled. “Thanks Ellie. Do you think B would like me?” he asked, sticking his tongue out.

“I thought you were asking me that question,” she said.

“I was hoping that if I answered the question to myself you would live vicariously through me so that you can answer it yourself,” he said, pointing to himself then back at her.

Ellie raised an eyebrow.

He sighed. “Ellie, just answer the damn question. Do you like B or not?!” he exclaimed.

She smiled sheepishly. “I---”

“Alright class! Let’s begin!” yelled Mr. Sid, with a pointer at the ready.

Dennis wailed in anguish, the suspense killing him slowly on the inside.

~~

Ellie sat alone at a table, only to be accompanied by Dennis, who surprisingly didn’t join the greasers today.

“Well?!” he asked again, plopping down across from her. The burger and milk on his tray shuddered in the descent.

Ellie sipped her soda pop and took a bite out of her sandwich. “Well what?” she asked.

“The B man? Number II? The second in command? That guy!” he said, pointing indiscreetly to the greasers at the corner. B was snickering at some obnoxious bit Al made about a jock. Ellie marveled at B but then glanced at the V spread across Al’s broad back. His copper hair resembled branches of a tree, curled but rigid like middle fingers thrust upon the oppressive world. Next to him was the bleached blond Leo, Number X, who had an unlit cigarette in his mouth as he shuffled cards in his worn-out deck. His sea green eyes darted between faded kings and hearts. Once a strategy bloomed in the cards, he turned to Al and wagered an enticing bet.

She turned back to Dennis, who was munching away on a mediocre burger. “Why do you keep asking me, Dennis? What’s the big idea?” she asked.

Dennis swallowed. “There’s a rumor going around. Just wanted your opinion, that’s all,” he said. He grabbed Ellie’s soda and took a big gulp.

She erupted from her seat. “Hey! Get your own!” she snapped, stealing it back.

“Sorry kitten, I was short on change today,” he said, smiling sheepishly. “Could you spot me, maybe?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ll spot you if you stop asking me that question,” she said.

“What? For you to spot me? Sure, consider it done!” he agreed, sticking his tongue out.

She scoffed. “Wise guy.” She stood up begrudgingly to buy her friend a soda.

After noticing that the queue was still short, she rushed to line up behind a leather jacket with an VIII. His bright red hair broke the solid black of the jacket, the spiky strands sticking out in an attempt to break free from the grease. His hair was a little longer than the other greasers, and much more vibrant. He peeked behind him with a smirk, waving to his buds at the table. It was at that point that he noticed the girl behind him.

“Oh, it’s you,” he said.

“Who? Me?” Ellie asked, pointing to herself.

“Yeah, you. You’re Dennis’s pal,” he said, smirking.

“Yeah, so?” she said, crossing her arms.

“It’s nice to finally meet ya,” he said, extending a hand.

Ellie shook it casually.

“Why the long face, kitten?” he asked, pouting with bright emerald eyes.

“It’s--nothing. I just—don't understand why Dennis would hang out with people like you,” she replied.

He scoffed. “People like me? Oh baby, you’re breaking my heart,” he lamented jokingly, clutching his chest.

She allowed herself to chuckle, feeling a little bad that she was giving off the wrong impression.

He laughed off the joke. “I’m Lee, by the way.”

“Lee,” she repeated. He was a tall, slender guy with black marks beneath his eyes and freckles on his face. Not that bad looking either.

“I’m Elena. Call me--”

“Ellie. Dennis talks about you all the time,” he said, smirking as they moved up the line.

“Oh yeah?” she asked, crossing her arms again.

Lee beamed. “Yup, and you definitely sounded interesting."

“What do you mean by that?” she asked.

Lee snickered, his emerald eyes shining with deceit. He bought a slice of pizza and left her, the question hanging in the air unanswered.

“Okaayy,” she muttered. She watched his scarlet head disappear into the sea of mundane teenagers guffawing at inappropriate jokes and girls gossiping about who slept with whom. She bought Dennis’s soda and returned to her table.

Only this time, two greasers appeared.

“Eddie, you HAVE to help me with the chemistry exam! I don’t know shit!” exclaimed Dennis.

“Cool it, Water-Works. You’d have to pay me the big bucks before you ace anything,” Eddie replied. His icy eyes glossed over the burger Dennis was eating, and he slightly cringed, turning away.

Ellie noticed the IV on Eddie’s back, his long dirty blond hair barely touching the top of the number. Eddie's features were foxlike but weathered, with bags beneath his eyes and a broad mouth that spoke of theories ninety percent of the time.

Across the table was a jacket-clad sophomore with pale blue-gray hair, his calculated gaze hidden behind straight locks and an innocent façade. He concentrated on the book in front of him.

“Who’s this now?” Ellie asked, sitting next to the sophomore. His back labeled him as Number VI.

“Oh! Ellie! This is Eddie and Ian,” said Dennis, pointing to the senior next to him then the sophomore next to her.

Eddie just waved at her lamely and Ian stared at her with curiosity.

“Uh-huh,” Ellie replied, a little confused as she glanced at the newcomers. It was very strange for her to get so much attention today. “Anyway, here’s your soda pop,” she said to Dennis, sliding the bottle to him.

“Thanks, kitten,” he said. He flicked the cap and took a gulp.

Ellie continued to eat her lunch.

“You’re Ellie?” Eddie finally asked.

She nodded.

“Hmm,” he murmured.

Ian looked at him, then her, and smiled at Dennis. “She is interesting,” Ian marveled, eyes wide with satisfaction.

Ellie glared at Dennis. “What are you telling them?!”

Dennis shrugged. “Whaattt?! Nothing! Nothing, pinkie swear!” he replied, exasperated as he stuck out a pinkie.

Eddie chuckled. “Nothing at all,” he added cryptically.

Ian heard his name from the greaser table, and he rose to reunite with them, omitting a farewell to the current party. Eddie followed, the smirk never leaving his face. He took out a switchblade and flipped it over and over in his hand.

Ellie watched them go, then glared at Dennis.

He rolled his eyes. “Ya know, they started asking me about you ever since we got into the chemistry section in science class."

Ellie put a finger on her chin. “Chemistry, huh?” she mused. She glanced back at the greaser table, observing Number II with newfound curiosity.


	2. Chemistry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say, as a scientist, he made me feel like I had a heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven't figured it out by now I am a HUGE Braig/Xigbar stan. And in high school/college I studied biochemistry so this is more or less a throwback for me.

Ellie stooped inside her locker to obtain her chemistry textbook and notebook for class. She observed herself in the mirror on her locker door, and as she did so, the metal frame slammed her forehead, leaving a red mark and a burst of pain from that spot.

“What the hell?” Ellie muttered, rubbing her forehead in confusion. She fixed the black-rimmed glasses on her nose and closed the locker door.

Suddenly, a pretty blond girl wearing a leather jacket emerged, shoving her in the shoulder and causing her to drop her textbook, her notebook, and all her papers.

“A bummer that he chose her,” the greaser spat, scoffing.

She kicked the chemistry textbook like a soccer ball, scattering papers and snickering as if she scored a goal. A pink-haired greaser stomped and dragged his foot across the open pages, defacing and ripping the periodic table with old mud and grass. She and the pink haired greaser high-fived and abandoned her in the mess, both of them giggling obnoxiously as they pushed other lowly students in their path.

Ellie grimaced at the pain on her forehead and shoulder, glaring at the mean girl walking away. She was Lorraine, Number XII, and the pink-haired guy was Marty, Number XI.

The school bullies. Of course they were in the gang too.

Ellie sighed in exasperation, picking up the mess that they made. She reached for her textbook, only to find a hand resting atop of hers.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he muttered.

She looked up, and she saw a freshman, a dreamy boy with freckles and azure eyes. His dirty blond hair was surprisingly well-kept for a greaser, with the strands locked in place and combed to impeccably fine rows. He too was wearing a jacket.

“Hello,” she said, smiling. “L-Let me help you. I’m sorry about her,” he muttered demurely. “Oh no, don’t be. It’s not your fault,” she replied, picking up papers with him.

When they stood up, he returned the textbook and nodded shyly before leaving. The number on his back was XIII.

~~

Ellie sat at the lab bench and waited for her partner, taping the pages and rubbing off the dirt in her textbook with paper towels. She managed to remove some of it, but the transition elements were permanently frayed and defaced with brown and black lines, as if they were beaten up by the bullies themselves.

“Who did that?” came a voice.

Speak of the devil. It was him: Number II: Blaine. Otherwise known as B.

Ever since they started the chemistry section of the science class, he was assigned to be her lab partner and she was infatuated by how smart and handsome he was. He looked perfect at every angle; he had the fittest physique, the softest and finest cheekbones that matched a hypnotizing grin, and hair so black that it put the night to shame. He was the definition of a bad boy, almost a leader of sorts in a notorious gang. Tough and witty, fast and sneaky. He was hip and slick and so smart...

...Well, for a greaser, that is.

She glared at him. “Your lackeys did this to me. Now I can’t read what the atomic number of iron is,” she seethed as she scrubbed the periodic table.

He chuckled. “You don’t know? It’s 26,” he said, sitting down and taking off his jacket. “Heh, even a hood like me would know that.”

She noticed that his gray T-shirt sleeves were rolled up, and she blushed at the sight of his lean muscles. She rolled her eyes to hide. “Anyway, you’re late,” she spat.

“What else is new?” he replied nonchalantly with a smirk.

“One more tardy and you get detention, Mr. Blaine,” stated Mr. Ansem.

B rolled his eyes. “Heard ya the first time, teach,” he retorted.

“Then commit it to memory,” said the teacher, pointing to his temple. “Now class, let’s get started. Today, we will be learning about boiling point elevation and freezing point depression...”

Ellie continued to wipe away her textbook, but B stopped her with a poke in the shoulder.

“Hey, if you need to borrow mine, hit me up,” he whispered, offering a soft grin.

Ellie stopped her cleaning and smiled at the friendly gesture. She threw away her paper towel, thinking it was futile anyway. “Thanks, but I’m good,” she whispered back. “I could borrow Dennis’s.” She flipped the pages to where Mr. Ansem was referencing.

“Is Water-Works your best friend or boyfriend?” he asked.

At the sound of the last word, Ellie’s eyes darted back to the front, and she bit her lip in timidness.

“Well?” he whispered.

She ignored him, trying not to get in trouble with the best poker face possible.

He scoffed. “Alright then, keep your secrets,” he whispered, grinning once again. He followed suit and listened to the lecture.

Once Mr. Ansem finished, the students began their experiments. Ellie replaced her glasses with lab glasses. “Okay, so we gotta add this amount of salt and wait for the water to boil,” she stated, reading the handout in front of her.

“Yeah yeah, piece of cake,” he said, fixing the unlit cigarette behind his ear with his lab glasses on. Then, he got an idea, and he plucked the cigarette from behind his ear.

Ellie noticed the gesture. “What’re you doing?” she asked.

“Hey, how much do you wanna bet I can light this cig with the hot plate?” he asked her.

She raised her eyebrows. “What? Don’t be a nosebleed. You’ll get in trouble!” she warned him.

“I won’t get caught,” he replied smugly.

When Mr. Ansem had his back turned, he pressed the end of the cigarette on the hot plate and cranked the dial. The butt of the cig remained unlit as the hotplate slowly transitioned to orange.

“B, stop it,” she hissed, grabbing his wrist. “You’re gonna get in trouble!” She tried to pull his arm away but was immediately reminded that he was quite strong.

“Heh, did I elevate your boiling point?” he quipped, leering with glee and relishing in her touch.

She face-palmed. “Oh, good lord...”

He turned the dial to the max temperature and in a few minutes the orange plate became an angry red. The butt of the cigarette sizzled as humble wisps of smoke emerged. Ellie withdrew her hand at the sight of the smoke, fearful that the heat would reach her and burn her for participating in this crime in the classroom.

“It’s working!” he exclaimed joyfully.

“What’s working, Mr. Blaine?”

He looked up and it was Mr. Ansem, hovering over the both of them with fists on his hips. Ellie hunched over her textbook in an attempt to dissociate from the hooligan, clearly pleading innocence in her eyes.

B swallowed. “Uh--”

“DETENTION, Mr. Blaine! I will see you after school!” yelled the teacher, flaring his nostrils.

At the front of the class, Lee guffawed, giving Leo a high five. Behind them, Al groaned. He pouted and muttered profanities, surrendering dollar bills to the red head.

~~

Ellie stared at B as he was reading the temperature of the boiling salt water. The edge of soft cheekbone, the curve of lip, the faint shade of scar... 

He narrowed his chocolate eyes at her, smirking. 

“You should take a picture,” he quipped in his laid-back voice. 

Ellie blinked. “Right, sorry,” she mumbled, dropping her gaze. 

He chuckled. “In case you wanted to know, the boiling point is a few degrees higher than usual,” he stated. 

“Right,” she repeated. She wrote the current temperature as an answer on their worksheet. 

“You look a few degrees hotter too, ya know,” he added casually.

Ellie stared at his lips and cheekbones when he leaned closer, hypnotized by the scent of gunsmoke and cologne. Then, his knuckles of spotty violet appeared, grasping _her_ pen as they led trails of ink.

“You--you don’t really mean that, do you?” she asked as her cheeks flushed pink.

B returned her questioning gaze with a spark in his soft brown eyes, resting his head on his hand. “Of course I mean it. I don’t lie to people I like. And, I gotta say, Dennis is a lucky man,” he continued in his laid-back voice. He took some tongs and diligently poured the hot salt water into the drain, making sure to keep a safe distance between her and the boiling water.

She bit her lip. “Thanks but… Dennis is... single,” she muttered.

He raised an eyebrow, and smirked. “Right on, good to know,” he stated, nodding. 

Ellie stood up and grabbed an ice bucket in preparation for the freezing point depression part of the experiment. 

“So, Ellie, did you see that new episode of _I Love Lucy_?” he asked. He dumped the ice into a new beaker.

She turned to him, smiling with familiarity. “I loved it! Wholesome as always. That makeover… Oh my she looked so pretty in that dress and makeup. And I just love that her husband puts up with all of her antics,” she replied, her voice reverting back to normal volume.

He chuckled. “She has a nice life, that Lucy,” he replied wistfully. “Made me wish I had a life like hers. A simple life, comedy in between. Must be nice.”

“Hmm, I don’t know, I don’t think I like that domesticated life,” she commented.

B whistled in amusement. “I don’t peg you as the type either, though you do play by the rules with everyone."

Ellie chuckled. “Everyone BUT Dennis."

B threw his head back in laughter. “Oh yeah. Forgot you push him around like a floor mop. I do too, haha!”

She smiled. “I mean, there must be a reason why you greasers call him Water-Works right?”

He nodded. “Yup. But hey, we all know he’s one of the goodies in our gang,” he said.

Ellie smiled. “I think you are too, B.”

B raised an eyebrow. “Heh, you think so? Well, that’s a first, considering you don’t know much about me.”

Ellie blushed, thinking she crossed a line. “Sorry I--”

“Let’s change that,” he said, grinning. “I know every week we talk about _I Love Lucy_ like it’s the only thing on TV, but what else tickles your fancy?”

At that moment, fascination began to soften the natural apathy in his brown gaze, melting it away as his lips curved up with his cheekbones. 

Ellie blushed at the attention she desired since the day she met him. “Oh well, a lot of things,” she said a little too enthusiastically, fixing her glasses on the bridge of her nose. 

“Oooh do tell,” he replied with a charming beam.

She breathed calmly, attempting to wrap up her giddy emotions in a box of coolness. “What would you like to hear?” she said more confidently this time.

He pursed his lips, smirking in amusement and relishing in the game. His brown eyes danced around her and he took a guess.

“From what I see, you seem to be into movies and books.” 

Ellie blinked, scoffing. “That’s all? Bold of you to assume I’m just two dimensions.” 

B chuckled, raising his arms up. “What can I say? I’ve got all the time in the world to discuss the other dimensions of you," he mused, winking.

She smiled, crossing her arms. “What if I don’t want to?” she teased.

B clutched his heart. “Oh baby, you don’t really mean that, do you?” he asked.

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” she replied casually, shrugging. Her teenage heart was skipping merrily.

He pursed his lips. “How unfair is that? A greaser being honest, a nerd being all sly. Tch, something just doesn’t add up there.”

Ellie smiled reassuringly, giving him a playful punch on his muscled arm. “We’re both human, greaser boy.”

He laughed. "Well, that's news to me. Folks call us a bunch of nobodies," he remarked. He then whistled, and his scar followed the curve of his jaw. "Gotta say baby, ‘interesting’ is understatement of the year.” 

Ellie glanced up and noticed that Mr. Ansem was making his rounds. She patted his arm. “Come on B, we can talk later. We have an experiment to finish,” she stated. 

He smirked. “Can’t wait,” he said. “Now then, freezing point depression. Tch, just like this class.” He frowned as he measured a mass of salt.

Ellie giggled, the pun dissolving her motivation to work. “You can’t be serious,” she said, smiling. 

He grinned. “I am serious. This shit’s easy peasy,” he replied, setting up the apparatus. “I mean, I don’t gotta tell ya that the freezing point of the water is gonna dip a bit from 0 degrees Celsius because the vapor pressure is lower when the salt’s in there. It’s gonna be harder to reach equilibrium in order to freeze. Plus, there’s more entropy. It’s gonna need more cooling in order to freeze it. Am I wrong?” 

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Wise guy. You basically repeated what Mr. Ansem said.”

He chuckled, crossing his arms. “As if. Do I look like the type of guy who listens to authority?”

She thought for a moment. “I suppose it depends who the authority is,” she mused, thinking of Number I. She sprinkled the salt on the ice and clamped the thermometer into the mixture to complete the apparatus.

He nodded, smirking. “You catch on pretty quick, baby bird.” 

She chuckled. “You know, I am getting bored too.” 

“Oooh, well in that case, wanna dip?” he offered, pointing to the window with his thumb. “Heard there’s a lunch special at The Bistro.” 

“We just had lunch… Blaine ” she teased, seeing his name on the worksheet.

He rolled his eyes. “I told you, just call me B,” he retorted. 

She raised her hands, chuckling. “Whoa… it all makes sense now. Is that why you don’t like teachers? ‘Cause they call you by your real name?”

B quietly rolled his eyes, writing the answer to a worksheet question. “It’s just a stupid name,” he muttered. “‘B’ strikes fear. ‘Blaine’ just sounds like a magic trick.”

Ellie laughed, hugging her stomach. “Never heard that before. A greaser like you getting so touchy about his own name? I’m appalled,” she teased. She gave him a soft smile. “Ya know, I had no idea you hated your name so much. I actually like it,” she admitted nonchalantly. She wrote neatly next to B’s crude letters, adding more to his answer. 

He glanced at the paper, then at her, raising an eyebrow. “Do you now? Well, in that case you can call me whatever you want, whenever you want,” he cooed, winking. 

Ellie coughed, her cheeks reddening. “I-I mean, we’ve got dimensions to explore, right?”

He chuckled as his handsome smirk appeared again. “You bet, baby,” he replied. He glanced at Mr. Ansem. After seeing he was occupied with another student, he cupped an area of the worksheet, wrote a quick note, ripped it, and passed it to Dylan, Number III, who sat behind him. 

Dylan's sky blue eyes sprinted across the lab worksheet with a pen following closely, diligent and motivated to complete the assignment early. His long black fringes kept falling in front of face, tickling his nose for attention. Dylan found it a nuisance and constantly swept the riff-raff behind his sideburns and pierced ear, cursing in Russian that he didn’t put enough grease.

The arrival of the note broke his focus, and since it was a message from his superior, he interrupted his workflow to read the note with resolute obedience.

B glanced at him, then at Ellie, who was peering into the cold salt water.

Dylan eyed her, then looked to B questioningly. "You sure it's safe?" he asked, his voice deep and his accent foreign.

B grinned, chuckling with restrained excitement. "Positive," he answered, slicking back his hair in an effort to impress her.

~~ 

Ellie opened her locker and sighed. Finally, it was the weekend. She opened her backpack and stuffed it with books. 

She heard a thud behind the locker door, and she swung it aside. 

Lo and behold, it was B. 

“Hey baby. You free tonight?” he asked, leaning against the metal with an irresistible smile. 

Ellie turned pink, and swung the locker to conceal his face and her fluster. 

“No, sorry,” she muttered, continuing to stuff books in her backpack. 

He ran to the other side of her, and at that point, Ellie couldn’t hide. Her shoulders tensed a little.

“Come on, Ellie. Why don’t you let loose and hitch a joyride with me?” he pleaded, winking as he leaned against the locker. 

Ellie zipped her backpack shut and wore it on her shoulders. She closed her locker, taking a deep breath. Suddenly, she stopped mid-inhale, realizing something. 

"Wait, don’t you have detention?”

B chuckled. “So? What’s it to ya?” he asked nonchalantly, crossing his arms.

She smiled. “Well, I mean… As good-looking as you are, I don’t date guys who get detention,” she replied calmly.

B clutched his chest, his natural charm faltering a little. “Damn. Never knew you to be a heartthrob and heartbreaker all the same. You kinda hurt my feelings, princess,” he admitted, grinning.

She giggled. “Hey I'm being honest for once. Am I the first girl to ever say no to you?” she said, crossing her arms with confidence.

He chuckled. “Actually, you’re not. Nice try,” he said, patting her back for the effort.

Ellie laughed, shrugging. “I mean, either way, I can’t go out with you. There’s an exam on Monday that I really should study for,” she stated regrettably, locking into the soft darkness in his eyes.

B sighed, combing his black hair. “Ellie, is there anything I could do to get you to say yes?” he asked. “Detention aside, I mean. You worked so hard, you deserve a night out.” He pursed his lips and his brown eyes shone like sweet caramel, posing as an offer she couldn’t refuse. He grinned and caressed her arm gently to invite her to play hooky, and she crept closer. His hand descended, almost reaching hers. 

Ellie smiled at him silently, and the whiff of gunsmoke and cologne ambushed her senses again. In an attempt to break free, worry seeped into the forefront of her mind. It slowly dismantled her happy countenance, replacing it with concern. At that moment her arm ripped free from B’s enticing touch, and she felt his warmth evaporate as soon as she released. She thought immediately that she couldn’t afford to be behind in her studying, as much as she wanted to spend time with the charming hooligan. 

“Thanks Blaine, but… ”

It was at that moment that she saw Dennis out of the corner of her eye, talking to a black-haired freshman with a jacket number XIV on her back. It was Ellie’s only escape; she couldn’t be distracted any longer. She needed to ease the worry. “Sorry, I gotta go,” she muttered, fleeing from her crush. 

B glanced in the direction she was running, and grinned. “Clever little sneak."


	3. Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welp, looks like Ellie's plans for studying are thrown out the window.

_ Living for you is easy living / It’s easy to live when you’re in love / And I’m so in love.... _

Ellie hummed to the rhythm of Billie Holiday’s sweet voice streaming out of the record player. She was reading her textbook, taking notes of chemical reactions and immersing herself simultaneously in rigid science and relaxing tunes. 

Suddenly, a doorbell rang from below, shaking her out of her reverie. She made her way to the staircase, and stopped in her tracks in the middle of the stairs. 

Her father opened the door, revealing a beaming Dennis. 

“Hey, Mr. Gibson. Is Elena home?” he asked, combing back his greasy hair. 

Ellie was about to speak, but her father spoke first. 

“I’m sorry, Dennis. Elena has to study for the chemistry exam on Monday. I think you should do the same,” he stated, crossing his arms to guard him from coming inside. 

“I--I mean, can’t we study together? That’s why--I’m here,” Dennis stuttered as he smiled sheepishly. 

Mr. Gibson frowned. “Nice try, Dennis, but the answer is no. Elena got a C on her last exam. That won’t happen again.”

“Come on, Mr. Gibson. Please?” Dennis begged. 

Ellie’s father shut the door on Dennis’s face. Before he turned around, Ellie withdrew back upstairs into her bedroom. She closed the door softly to conceal her brief escapade, then slid down on the floor, sighing deeply. She rubbed her eyes and temple, attempting to refocus her brain into study mode. 

Then, she heard a  _ clink _ from the window. 

She got up and opened the curtains, squinting into the darkness below. In the faint glow of the porchlight, she saw a familiar silhouette. 

Actually, two silhouettes. 

She opened the window. 

“Dennis?”

“Hey Ellie!” Dennis loudly whispered. “Someone wants to see you!” 

“Who?” 

As soon as she asked, the man of her dreams stood in the dim light, smirking. 

“Hey princess,” he greeted, saluting her. 

Ellie grimaced. “What the hell,” she hissed. 

Dennis raised an eyebrow, and B just chuckled. “Is this how you treat your beaus?” he asked with a smile. 

She looked back inside to make sure her bedroom door was closed. “ I didn’t ask for this. You’re gonna get me in trouble,” she hissed, pointing at the both of them. 

Dennis just looked at B, awaiting a command. 

“You’re not gonna get in trouble, because you’re not really gonna leave,” said B. He waved to Dennis. Dennis then stood with his back on the house wall, bending his knees as his hands were cusped before them. 

Ellie’s eyes widened. “What are you doing?” 

Without a word, B sprinted towards Dennis, stepped on his hands, and reached for her windowsill. Ellie stepped back and yelped, covering her own mouth to hide the fact that... 

_ Her crush just entered her bedroom! _

When B climbed into her sacred space, she stood back by the wall, nearest the exit. 

“B, if you do anything to me, I will scream,” she warned him with a wavering voice. Her cheeks, though, gave away what she was really feeling. 

He chuckled, but then silenced himself when he heard music. “Billie Holiday huh? I’m more of an Ella Fitzgerald guy myself,” he said. 

“What do you want, Blaine?” she asked. 

He smiled and reached into his pocket. “I wanted to personally invite you, my lady, to the passion pit,” he said, extending a ticket stub to her. 

She took the stub and read the text. 

**ADMIT ONE: The Day the Earth Stood Still**

“No way!” she exclaimed, gaping at the ticket in her hand. She had wanted to see the movie for so long! And with the man before her... It was too good to be true! 

“So you comin’ or what?” he asked. 

She smiled at him and nodded automatically, eyes wide with excitement. Her invasive logic began to retreat as her emotions took the forefront of her mind, and she relished in the bliss of doing something... different. 

He chuckled, grinning widely as the excitement became contagious. “Great, let me help you set up,” he said. 

Ellie crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “What?” she asked. 

He then proceeded-- _ without permission _ \--to move her pillows and blankets. 

“Hey! I didn’t tell you to touch my stuff!” she exclaimed. 

B placed a finger on his lips. “Ssshh. I’ll be deep-sixed if you keep yelling like that. Wouldn’t want your first date to be at a funeral now, do ya?” he quipped. 

She closed her mouth, and stood there silently. 

He rearranged the pillows on her bed to form some semblance of a body. Then, he placed a blanket over it, lumping the pillows in various places. He stood next to her by the threshold, forming a square with his fingers to make sure the fake body looked right. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, looking up to him. 

“You’re not really gonna leave. You’ll be asleep,” he replied. 

He turned the light off to check if the dummy could pass, and it did. He turned the lights back on. 

“Great, I’ll see ya in a couple minutes. Ciao,” he said, waving and making his way to the window. 

As soon as he left, she closed the curtains and rushed to put her best clothes and makeup on. 

She wasn’t about to pass up this delightful opportunity. She put on a pleated, navy blue skirt, white blouse, and black cardigan. She lined her eyes, graced her eyelashes with mascara, blushed her cheeks, and tinted her lips with a muted red. She brushed her wavy hair which cascaded perfectly atop her shoulders. After putting on her saddle shoes, she took a final glance at the mirror. She was ready. 

She turned off the lights in her room and looked out of the window. 

“So, how am I gonna get down?” she asked. 

“Can’t try the front door?” B asked. 

Dennis came running in. “I just checked. Her parents are watching TV. They’ll see her coming down the stairs even if she chose the back door," he reported.

B shrugged. “Come on, Dennis,” he said, whistling and pointing to the wall. 

“What?! I didn’t sign up to be a human ladder! You guys will snap my spine, man!” he yelped. 

B rubbed his chin. “For a member of this prestigious gang, I thought you’d be tough enough for that,” he mused. 

Dennis scoffed. “Wise guy. I don’t care what you say, B. As much as I’d like to help with your rendezvous, I wanna live first.” 

Ellie nodded. “Dennis is right. Um, maybe I can climb down on my own?” she offered. She stuck her leg out. 

Dennis blushed. “Wait! Ellie, your skirt!” he exclaimed. 

B laughed. “Ohh, look at you! Being all chivalrous,” he quipped. “You sure  _ you _ don’t wanna take her on the date?” 

Dennis rolled his eyes. “I’m just looking out for my friend. Besides, it’s obvious she likes you. You’re higher on the food chain  _ and  _ you’re cooler,” he stated. 

Ellie swallowed. "Come on, Dennis, don’t be like that."

Dennis scoffed. “Don’t  _ take it _ like that. I’m not interested in you at all,” he replied, winking. 

She giggled, relieved that Dennis was being a good sport about all this. 

“So, what are we gonna do?” Ellie asked. 

B thought for a moment. He then offered his arms. “Jump,” he said. 

“Wait what?! Come on, B there has to be another way,” Dennis exclaimed. “She could get hurt!” 

“I won’t let that happen,” he promised, smirking up to her. 

Dennis looked up to Ellie. “Okay, kitten, if you’re gonna jump I will catch you too,” he said, huffing and standing next to B. He offered his arms. 

B scoffed. “Way to steal my thunder, James Dean,” he quipped. 

Dennis remained focused on Ellie, bracing himself for the impact. 

Ellie nodded. She sat on the window, letting her feet dangle into the night air. She pressed her skirt against her legs, and jumped. 

She felt her stomach lurch for a second before she landed in a firm embrace, a cradle of arms on her back and behind her knees. Dennis fell to the ground, overwhelmed by the momentum, but B remained standing. 

_ Carrying her. _

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he cooed. 

Ellie felt fifty degrees hotter and turned fifty shades of crimson. She shook her head wordlessly. The glow of porchlight and moonlight accented his cheekbones in that charming smile of his, and his eyes were pristine marbles of chocolate. Her crush beamed and let her down gently, holding her waist to keep her from falling too. 

“Dennis, are you okay?” she asked, extending an arm out to him. 

B scoffed. “Oh gee, a ‘thank you’ would have been nice.” 

Dennis stood up, brushing off the grass and straightening out his jeans. “Don’t take it personally, B. She’s too shy to say it.” 

Ellie punched his shoulder. 

“Hey!” he exclaimed, wincing and rubbing the spot. “You know, I can rat you out,” he threatened. 

She rolled her eyes. “Thanks, B,” she smiled and finally said to him. 

B grinned widely, rubbing his hands together. “Well, now that that’s outta the way let’s dip,” he said, waving towards his car. It was a dazzling silver car, the top already down, welcoming the trio with the promise of merriment. 

Ellie whistled. “What a hot rod,” she complimented. 

He chuckled. “Thanks, baby. Second is the best,” he said. 

“And third is the one with the hairy chest!” Dennis exclaimed, sprinting towards the back seat. 

B rolled his eyes and Ellie laughed. “Dennis, I’m so glad you’re coming too,” she said, taking her place in the passenger seat. 

Dennis waved her off. “I won’t be in your way,” he replied. “I’m just the wing man. For the both of you.” He grinned. 

Before their departure, B locked a cigarette between his lips. He then hunched over and opened the glovebox in front of Ellie. 

“Damn it, I don’t have a light.” 

“Well let’s hurry to the drive-in! Lee’s gotta be there already,” Dennis said, buckling his seatbelt. 

“Wait--Lee? How many of the greasers will be there?” Ellie asked. 

B grinned. “All of them.” 


	4. Passion Pit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotions run high at the drive-in. Get ready to rumble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since SO MANY characters are involved in this chapter I'm thinking this can be a pilot for multiple storylines. Hope you enjoy the drama and the romance!
> 
> Also I'm playing off Chain of Memories, KH 1 and 2, and 358 here. Just a teensy weensy bit. With a twist.

“AWW MAN! AGAIN?!” whined Dennis. The ace of spades emerged from Leo’s palm and landed onto the card pile with a  _ thwap _ . The flashlight that illuminated its presence wavered as Al guffawed. 

Dylan snickered, combing his black wavy hair. “One more round and you spot all of us,  _ slabak _ ,” he said. He laid down his deck. 

Dennis stood up and slammed his deck onto the seat, annoyed. “What?! The Commie too?! That’s it! I-q--” 

“If you quit my dear Dennis, you will still owe me a refreshment,” Leo warned, his British accent toying with Dennis's sanity. A sinister grin was plastered on the gambler's face. He shuffled his cards and they zipped between his palms, the numbers and symbols blurring like a zooming specter. 

“Us too, Water-Works,” Al added, laughing. He flicked the switch of the flashlight on and off, signaling the end of the round. 

Dennis plopped back down, pouting. “Argh fine--another round.” 

~~ 

A few rows ahead, B was calling out to Lee. 

“Hey hothead! Got a light?!” B yelled. 

“Hey man shut your trap! We’re trying to watch a flick here!” yelled some jock. 

B stuck up a middle finger, and resumed waving his arms to get the redhead’s attention. 

The redhead flicked his lighter on and waved, making his way to Number II. 

“Yeah yeah I’m comin,” Lee muttered. 

“He's got a point, B. I think you should shut up,” Ellie quipped, giggling. 

He turned to her and smiled. “Oh, I will. Once I get a lit square between my teeth, I’m set for the night.” 

She crossed her arms. “Ever consider that some people don’t like the smell?” she asked. 

He smirked. “Ever consider that we're outside?” he countered. 

Lee came over and flipped open his lighter, the flame brushing the end of B’s cigarette. Once caught, B inhaled and puffed the smoke into the air with satisfaction. 

“Need anything else, Your Highness?” Lee asked sarcastically. 

B shook his head. “Tch, wise guy. Go play with the fresh meat, why doncha?” he commanded. 

Lee kicked the car’s tire before his exit. 

Ellie watched the redhead leave. “Dictator much?” she asked, turning to B. 

He sighed fumes of tobacco, up and away from the girl next to him. “Comes with the number, baby,” he replied, smirking. 

~~ 

Lee weaved between cars, returning to his. In the back seat, Number XIII and Number XIV were enjoying soft-serve ice cream on wafer cones. 

“Hey Lee! Come get your ice-cream before it melts!” exclaimed Number XIII, extending an untouched cone.

“Thanks for spotting me, Rocco,” replied Lee, smiling. He received the soft-serve with gusto. 

“This flick is amazing too!” said Number XIV. She tucked her short black hair behind her ear, gingerly eating the ice cream. “Thanks for inviting us,” she added. She licked her lips and demurely wiped her cute cheeks, maintaining a ladylike demeanor despite the haphazard nature of ice cream consumption.

“Hey it’s the least I could do, Sherry,” Lee said, grinning. “As the next gen of the gang, you’re required to attend all social events... Including stupid ones like this,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. 

Rocco and Sherry laughed. “Come on, Lee. It’s not that bad,” Rocco said, his words muddled by soft serve. “It’s a blast to be around you guys!” His azure gaze illuminated like the stars, joyful as the innocent boy he was.

Lee smiled. “Totally the bee’s knees,” he agreed. 

Sherry giggled. “Okay guys, this is nice and all but come on, I’m missing half the plot here!” she quipped. 

Lee joined the freshmen in the back seat, licking his ice cream. He beamed and marveled at his best friends before following their gaze to the motion picture. 

He chuckled. “Wouldn’t want to miss it for the world.” 

~~ 

“So, what do you think of B’s girl?” asked Zack, Number VII. He watched the couple with pale apathy, and he absent-mindedly scratched his nose which bore an X-shaped scar. He and Adam, Number I, sat in a car smoking, their gaze careless as they watched the movie and the people around them. 

“Peachy,” Adam replied sarcastically. He pursed his lips as he remained calmly vigilant, with yellow eyes examining each moviegoer. In the darkness, he targeted faces and pockets, searching for any sign of a threat in the form of switchblades--or worse.

Zack looked at his superior, his silent gaze anticipating more. Adam combed his gray fringes back in the grease, scoffing. “Don’t you think it’s funny that the head honcho himself doesn’t have a lady?” 

In response, Zack inhaled his cigarette. As he did so, shadows emerged in the hollows of his pale cheeks, and for a moment he resembled a vampire, sucking the nicotine lifeblood out of the paper and tobacco. Dopamine flooded his senses as soon as he exhaled, and his cobalt strands seemed to rise with the puffs of smoke that shuddered out of his laughing mouth. The idea that the boss might end up forever alone amused the wits out of him.

Adam sneered, blowing smoke out of his nostrils. His broad jaw tensed, the alpha in him rattled and ready to strangle his henchman. “Hmph, you do find it funny.... Well, I don’t see _ you  _ doing any better.” 

Zack coughed in response, straightening his tone. “In your defense, B is getting cheeky lately, and it’s getting to the point where he doesn’t ask for your ok anymore,” he admitted, his voice deep and sly. “That number is getting to his head.” 

Adam huffed. “He embarrassed me by bringing her here.” 

Zack sighed again, the smoke rising from his lips like a mouth of a dragon. “So? What are you gonna do about it?” He inhaled again and released the fumes as an offering to the full moon. 

Adam shifted in his seat, catching a glimpse of short blue hair. A few rows down, he noticed that a varsity cheerleader was chatting with a red-headed freshman. Their conversation sounded more animated than the movie of impending doom, and as the wind picked up they hugged their skirts close to their legs, never ceasing in their amusement.

Zack followed his gaze, and leered at the superior’s prey. 

Adam bit his thumb, staring at the blue-haired girl with eyes that grew mad and obsessive. 

He turned to Zack and smirked. “It’s time I took matters into my own hands.”

~~ 

Ellie shivered, and she rubbed her arms as the chilly night air bit her skin. 

B blew smoke, noticing her discomfort. “You cold?” he asked. 

Ellie just looked at him, nodding. 

He opened his arms, motioning towards himself. “I don’t bite,” he said sincerely, beaming. 

Ellie narrowed her eyes at the cigarette between his teeth. 

B sighed and plucked the cigarette out, flicking it to the dirt. 

She scooted towards him, and his arm wrapped around her shoulder. She hugged his lean torso, sighing and immersing herself in the warmth beneath his leather jacket. 

He chuckled. “Stay for as long as you like,” he cooed. 

She beamed and rubbed her nose into his chest before letting the movie capture her attention. His leather arms wrapped tighter around her shoulder, serving as a shield against the alien cold.

~~ 

From a distance, Eddie observed Adam watching the blue-haired cheerleader. “I think we’re about to get into a rumble,” he speculated. 

Ian, who was reading a book next to him, sighed. “This is nothing new, Eddie,” he replied absent-mindedly, turning the page. 

Marty, who was holding a flashlight so that Number VI could read, followed Eddie’s gaze. “This might be our chance to rise,” Marty said. 

“Says the junior holding a torch for a sophomore,” Lorraine quipped, flipping her hair. “How do we know  _ you _ won’t rise against Number IV and VI here?” 

Eddie turned back to Marty questioningly. 

Marty rolled his eyes, fixing his greasy hair back in place. “I won’t. I’d rather have B has Number I. Adam’s flipped his lid,” he stated. “Besides, B is much more interesting.” 

“Which matches  _ her _ personality perfectly,” spat Lorraine, who rested her head on the car door. She glared at the couple in question, her eyes green with venom. 

“Looks like someone is jealous,” Eddie quipped, chuckling. 

Lorraine punched his headrest. “Can it, senior citizen!” she growled. 

Marty laughed. “Either way, I think we can all agree that B is made to be Number I. Charming, smart... How can we truly be greasers without those traits?” he said, leaning back. 

Ian smiled. “Agreed. That was the wisest thing you said all night,” he said. He grabbed Marty’s wrist and forced the flashlight back over his book so he could read. Marty jolted and returned to position. 

Eddie glanced at Ian. “So, what are we gonna do?” he asked. 

Ian turned the page, glancing at Adam in the distance. 

“We wait,” he said. 

~~ 

In another car towards the middle of the parking lot, three best friends were silently captivated by the aliens floating in two-dimensional skies. 

The freshman cheerleader in the back seat reached into her skirt pocket, her heart beating a little too fast for her liking. Despite the unease, she was grateful that her friend Annie encouraged her to give the boy she liked a gift. She tucked her red hair back behind her ear, and, after taking a deep breath, she tapped the shoulder of the freshman boy sitting next to her. 

“I made this for you, Sam. I know it’s not as soothing as an ice pack, but I do hope it’ll make you feel better,” she said, beaming demurely. 

Sam smiled in an awkward grimace. Earlier in the day he had been punched by a greaser, and the swollen cheek and bandaged nose was proof of the altercation. While he reclined, he pressed a cup of ice against the bump on his face. 

He glanced at the item in her hand, and it was a friendship bracelet with deep blue thread interlaced with white and scarlet. Attached to the threads were miniature crowns and hearts, and the largest charm was a star with a smiley face. 

He gaped at the adorable trinket in her hand, beholding it with as much wonder as a child in a candy shop. “Oh wow! Thanks Carrie!” he exclaimed, giving the girl next to him a hug. Carrie giggled and wrapped the bracelet around his wrist. 

Sam marveled at the friendship bracelet, holding his arm up to the starry sky. “This is amazing! It was really nice of you to make this for me. It means a lot,” he added sincerely. 

In the driver seat, the sophomore jock chuckled. “Tch, more than you know, Carrie,” he quipped. 

Sam blushed. “You--you know what I mean,” he muttered in defense. 

Carrie giggled, and the sophomore continued to banter. “Come on, Sam, you’re more romantic than that!” he exclaimed, laughing. 

“Shut up, Ricky! No one asked you,” Sam countered. 

“Aww, Sam. I think Ricky is just trying to help you out,” Carrie teased. 

Sam, a bit embarrassed, leaned toward Ricky in the driver seat and poked his letterman jacket. “Remind me again who invited you?” he asked. 

Ricky laughed in response. “Come on, can’t a guy spend some quality time with his best friends in the whole wide world?” 

Sam winced, the ice in his cup rattling with his unease. He leaned in closer. “But Ricky, this was supposed to be a date between me and Carrie, though,” he whispered, almost defeated. 

Ricky ruffled his silver hair in response, freeing himself from the freshman’s disappointment. “Calm down, I’m trying to help you out,” he replied in a normal volume. 

Carrie tapped Sam’s shoulder. “If I can have a say, Sam, I really don’t mind Ricky tagging along. It’s not like my feelings for you will go away,” she said. She smiled with beautiful reassurance which also served to hide the fact that she just eavesdropped. 

Sam leaned back. “Oh, well... That’s great!” he exclaimed, rubbing his brunette head in a bit of embarrassment. He glanced at the bracelet again. “I--I feel the same way,” he stuttered. He then changed the subject. “I’ve never seen you make anything like this before!” 

“Well, it’s special, and it’s good luck, so be sure to bring it back to me,” she replied. 

Sam gaped. “What? I thought this was supposed to be mine?” 

Carrie nodded. “It is. But no matter who fights you, I want you to always come back to me,” she stated. “Even if you’re dead.” 

Ricky chuckled, slapping the steering wheel. “Well, she’s a keeper. Good on ya, Sam,” he laughed. 

Sam blushed, touching the bandage on his nose. “You--you would still like me even if I had all these bruises on my face?” he asked. 

Carrie nodded. “Of course, silly!” she exclaimed, hugging him. 

Ricky smiled, seeing them hug in the rearview mirror. “Alright, alright, break it up you two. I didn’t sign up for that,” he said. 

“You didn’t sign up at all! You invited yourself!” Sam countered. 

Ricky huffed. “Look, I got scared, alright?” he admitted, glancing at Sam’s pitiful countenance in the mirror. 

Carrie released Sam, and leaned towards Ricky. “What do you mean?” she asked. 

Ricky glanced at Sam again in the rearview mirror, and agitation bubbled in his veins. He gritted his teeth. “This is the drive-in, guys. Loads of greasers around. What if another one jumps you, Sam? You’re an easy target. Literal fresh meat.” 

Sam scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Thanks, Ricky.” 

“I’m serious, I tagged along to protect the both of you,” he spat, immediately turning around to face them. At that moment he couldn’t stand to see Sam’s swollen cheeks any longer. He wanted to do something about it. 

“Who did that to you, Sam?” Ricky asked. 

Sam shrugged, averting his shy azure eyes. “I don’t know his name,” he mumbled. 

“It was a greaser, right?” Ricky asked. 

Sam nodded. 

“Who? Who was it?” Ricky pressed. 

Sam sighed, reluctant to talk about the fight. “He had pink hair,” he muttered. He rested his head on the car door, shielding his injured face from the both of them. Carrie patted his back and leaned on him, comforting her wounded friend with a gentle caress on his arm. 

Ricky turned back towards the movie screen. He watched as tanks and firearms disintegrated in a robot’s beams, and he couldn’t help but feel that same energy. He clenched a fist. 

~~ 

Deep in B’s arm and nestled in the warm firmness of his chest, Ellie’s eyelids began to flutter. The aliens and humans on the silver screen slowly transformed into blurs, and before she knew it, her eyes closed fully, embracing the darkness for a moment. 

Pressed up against her ear was his heartbeat, steady and calm like an untouched sea. His chest rustled with a hearty breath. 

“You noddin’ off on me, princess?” he whispered, squeezing her shoulder. 

Her eyes fluttered open, reluctant but pleased at the same time, to hear the sound of his laid-back words. 

“It’s been a long day,” she muttered, and her eyelids descended again. 

He chuckled. “Wanna play some backseat bingo?” 

Ellie raised an eyebrow, but then shifted in her seat to hug him closer, treating him more like a pillow than a date. 

“You’re moving too fast, chief,” she muttered into his shirt. 

He smirked, glancing up at the silver screen as he ran fingers through several strands of her hair. “Fair enough,” he said. “But, I gotta tell ya, you seem a little too comfy with me for a first date.” 

She opened her eyes and looked at him, and he just smiled the way he always did. Handsome by default. Even in the dimness, his cheekbones cast shadows of their own, sculpting his visage to perfection. 

“I’m exploring this dimension of you. Isn’t that something you’d want?” she said. She nestled back into his embrace, and he welcomed it again. 

“Looks like you want it too,” he said. “I mean, I’m not complaining. I’m a little excited, haha!” 

She giggled. “The great Blaine the Second? Excited about hugging some girl? Come on, be excited about something else will ya? Like this movie!” 

He scoffed, smirking. “Says the gal who is noddin’ off  _ and  _ gabbin’ on her first date.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I’ve had a long day. I almost got in trouble twice because of you greasers.” 

He shifted in his seat, and his muscles tensed against her cheeks. “Aww babe, what's that supposed to mean?” he asked, a little defeated at the sound of her venomous tone.

Ellie realized she had pushed a button, and she released him immediately, owning up to her mistake. “I’m sorry... I didn’t mean it like that. I—I just—I really wish you guys would not do the things you do, you know?” she replied. 

“Like what?” he asked, crossing his arms. 

“Harassing people, getting in trouble at school, smoking like chimneys...... Picking up girls like it’s nothing,” she muttered, her eyes narrowing away. 

B chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Aw, is the little Ellie jelly?” he asked, teasing her and poking her nose. 

Her cheeks flushed. “I’m not jealous!” she lied. “I---I mean, I think you guys are cooler than the jocks...” she admitted. 

He raised an eyebrow, curious. “Well I’ll be, you hold an unpopular opinion, princess. And as a wise guy once said, you were too shy to say it,” he said, pointing at her and chuckling. 

She crossed her arms. “Yeah well, I said it now, ok? It’s safer now that I know that... well, you asked me out on a date.” 

He grinned. “What can I say? I like what I see, princess.” 

She scoffed, smirking to meet his handsome gaze. “There’s more where that came from, then. We’ve got time.” 

He looked at her, caressing her cheek as his grin softened to a sincere beam. His fingers found then hers, their palms melting together as one. He brushed away strands from her face to marvel the beauty and mystery that was there. 

“I’d waste forever with you if I could,” he admitted.

She blushed, and he tucked her hair behind her ear. “Wow… um… You talk very smoothly for a greaser,” she muttered, squeezing his fingers. 

“Is it working?” he asked. 

She nodded, pushing her glasses upon the bridge of her nose nervously. 

He laughed. “Good, cuz Dennis told me to say that.” 

She scoffed and shoved him, their fingers unclasping. “Blaaaiinnee!” 

B guffawed, his gut was bursting and shushes from other cars following suit. “I gotcha good, didn’t I princess?! HAHA!” he exclaimed, laughing. 

She fumed. “I’m gonna give Dennis a beating the next time I see him,” she growled. 

“Aw, look at you princess! You have become the very thing you swore to condemn,” he quipped, laughing again. 

She crossed her arms. “You’re lucky I like you,” she said. 

His laughter ceased, and he smirked. “So, you admit it,” he said. “Looks like this was a success for the ol’ B-ster.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Wasn’t it obvious? Wasn’t it blatantly, obviously obvious?” 

He nodded. “Yeah, I just wanted to hear you say it,” he said, grinning. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders again. “Y’know, I’m really liking this.” 

She looked at him, her frustration dissipating as it was replaced with curiosity. “You do? You really, genuinely do?” 

He grinned. “Of course. You’re interesting.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know Blaine. I’ve been hearing that all day.” 

He pursed his lips, brushing her cheeks with light fingers. “You think differently, princess,” he admitted, grinning. 

She smiled and in unrestrained excitement she hugged him, her feelings for him transformed to overwhelming joy that had to be made known. 

He laughed, the surprise pleasant and very much welcome. He caressed her back tenderly.

“So, when’s the next one?” 

~~ 

The blue haired girl skipped to the snack bar, skirt flowing in the wind as she wore a peckish grin. Adam was hypnotized, then opened the car door. 

“Come on, I’m hungry,” he said. 

Zack nodded, inhaling his cigarette as he followed his superior. 

The blue haired girl smiled and talked to the cashier with candy in hand, expressing her interest in the movie by gushing over the director’s choices in casting and screenwriting. She was about to pay, until Adam slipped a bill before her hand reached the register. 

“Allow me,” he offered smoothly, his voice deep. 

The girl’s bright blue eyes faltered, her smile turning into a frown. “Thanks, but I can take care of myself,” she said, her tone falling to disgust at the hoodlum. 

“What? You won’t let a nice guy treat ya to something sweet?” he said, his smile still on his face. He extended the bill towards the cashier and the uniformed girl just stood there, unsure of what to do. 

~~ 

“Now’s our chance!” whispered Ian. 

By that signal, Lorraine shrugged off her greaser jacket and fixed the neckerchief tied around her throat. She wore a tight blouse with a pushup bra underneath, as well as black jeans that flattered her sexy figure. She reached into her pocket and skillfully applied a red lipstick in the dimness, puckering her lips in satisfaction. Marty whistled flirtatiously, and she stuck a middle finger up his face in response. Eddie and Ian chuckled, amused to see Lorraine in her true form. She exited the car, combed her satin blond hair, and propped up her breasts, sauntering towards the blue haired girl’s boyfriend. 

The guy was mesmerized by the alien invasion as he sunk into the driver’s seat. Once Lorraine approached, she seductively leaned into the driver’s window, her hair teased and her breasts hanging low.

The jock turned and was pleasantly surprised and aroused by what he saw. He straightened up, smiled and bit his lip to match the flirtation that he thought was going to happen. 

He leaned over. “Hey baby, what’s your name?” he asked, enchanted by her appeal. 

Lorraine smiled like a succubus. “Sarah. I’m actually one of Annie’s friends from chemistry class,” she lied in a cheerleader’s inflection. “You’re her boyfriend?” she asked. 

The jock’s façade faltered for a moment, the hint of reality slapping him. “Um, yeah. Terry’s my name,” he said, straightening up some more. 

She giggled. “Nice to meet you Terry!” she exclaimed in an exaggerated tone. “Well, I saw Annie at the snack bar and it looks like she’s being harassed by some greasy looking guy. Doesn’t look like good news to me,” she said. 

The jock’s eyes widened, then became angry. “Shit,” he grumbled. He opened the car door and stood up. 

Lorraine bit her lip in an attempt to keep her laughter locked in place. She stood in his way, causing him to stop in his tracks.

For a moment, Terry leered at all of the curves of Lorraine, undressing her slowly in his mind. She, on the other hand, marveled at how tall and broad shouldered he was. The shirt beneath his letterman failed to hide the shape of his toned pecs, and the fabric stretched across the mounds of muscle. His dark blue eyes and defined jaw were set as stone, and she ached to slap his flawless skin. He was handsome in the preppiest sense, a poster boy for the typical jock. His brown hair was also a bit long but it framed his face cleanly, free of grease. Impure thoughts of what he was like in the backseat raced through her head, and she giggled with sinister glee.

Terry then shook his head, snapping out of it. He faced the snack bar and rolled up his sleeves, reluctant to rescue his girlfriend. 

Lorraine frowned, secretly wishing for more, and she eyed the snack bar. She made it her mission to pummel this cheerleader into the dirt and rearrange her pretty face.

Terry sighed, catching a glimpse of Lorraine frowning. He smiled reassuringly.

“See ya around, Sarah. I got some trash to take out.” 

~~ 

Ricky stood up from the car door and started the long trek to the snack bar. He immediately regretted parking so far away from the food.

He pushed his fists in his letterman jacket and glanced up at the fluorescent lights of the snack bar. 

Then, he stopped in his tracks. 

A pretty blond gave a high five to a pink-haired greaser, their laughter drowning his ears. 

It was him. 

Ricky clenched his fists in his pockets. All of their friends stepped out of the car and headed towards the snack bar, but the pink-haired greaser stayed behind. He was sticking his fingers between car seats, hoping to find the cigarette that fell out of his pocket. 

Once he found it, he stepped out of the car. 

This was Ricky’s chance. 

~~ 

“Come on, baby, let me take you out for a spin. You know what they say about bad boys. They get all the ladies,” Adam crooned. He and Zack blocked Annie’s path, closing in on both sides of her, their breaths hot with the smell of tobacco. She hugged their candy offering like a teddy bear, the weakness in her paralyzing all of her limbs. She observed both of the greasers and immediately realized that they went to the same school as her.

The tan-skinned one was Adam, and he was about Terry’s height. His leather jacket which bore the number I hid his wide shoulders well; the black slimmed the bone and muscle beneath. His eyes were yellow and he wore a conniving smile, his narrow eyes brimming with a secret lust. No one knew much about him, other than that he was the leader of The Organization.

The pale guy was Zack, and everyone in school thought he was a bit crazy. In class he would hold an even-tempered countenance, and he would even answer questions correctly whenever the teacher asked questions. But when he started smoking, that was when he would change. There were rumors that he got his unusual x shaped scar from a fight with some sort of beast because he smoked too much. But, Annie believed more realistically that the wounds were self-inflicted. He probably had some undiagnosed mental illness that made him go complacent one second then berserk the next, and this made her uneasy. His unwavering vigilance at this moment could easily lead to a slap across her face if she fought back, and in jarring fear she just trembled between the intimidating greasers.

Other teens that zipped in and out of the snack bar ignored them, knowing full well that to mess with one was a death sentence. 

Annie looked around and pleaded with tear-filled eyes to everyone around her, but they just averted their regretful gaze. 

“Hey dickhead, that’s my girlfriend,” came an angry yell. 

Adam turned to find Terry and a few other jocks standing in the exit. 

“Terry!” Annie exclaimed. 

Zack grabbed her wrist, puffing his cigarette and grinning. Annie tried to yank her hand away, but Zack’s nicotine fueled grip was too strong. 

Adam huffed, glaring at Annie then at Terry. “Hmph, shoulda known lookers like you would date muscleheads like him,” he said. 

“Let. Her. Go,” commanded Terry. 

“Eh, I don’t think I want to,” Adam replied calmly, grinning. “She’s mine.” 

At the other end of the snack bar, Ian and Eddie snickered, watching the events taking place from a distance. “This is just sad,” Eddie commented, detecting the slight desperation in his superior’s voice. 

Lorraine scoffed. “At this point I’d make Terry my superior any day,” she said, staring at the handsome jock’s athletic features and defined jaw. “Just look at him.” 

“What happened to B?” asked Ian.

“B can go fuck himself,” she spat in jealousy. 

Eddie rolled his eyes. “Remember why we’re doing this,” he reminded them. 

Lorraine waved her hands. “Yeah, yeah I know. B’s Number I in our book,” she replied. “For now.” 

Ian face-palmed. “You really are a wild card, Lorraine,” he said. 

“Well, so is Mr. Adam over there. So desperate for attention that he had to be a bird dog to get it. There’s no order with him in charge,” Eddie said in her defense. 

Ian nodded, pensive. Lorraine just grinned, basking in Terry’s assertion of dominance. 

Terry encroached into Adam’s personal space. They were the same height and almost the same build. 

“I won’t say it again,” Terry seethed. 

“I won’t either,” Adam snarled. 

Terry tightened a fist and punched Adam. Pain erupted from his cheekbone, the sting of knuckle emanating across the half of his face. Adam just stood there, and he touched the epicenter, feeling a tender bump beginning to form beneath his eye. 

Lorraine perked up, noticing something in the corner of the kiosk. “Wait a minute what the hell is Dennis doing there?” 

Ian immediately dropped his book and they saw Dennis, cradling a mountain of snacks to repay the bet he lost. He seemed to be crying as he realized that he couldn’t carry his debt and that it would suck everything out of his wallet. 

Eddie turned to Ian, shaking his shoulders. “This wasn’t part of the plan!” he hissed. “Damn it! He’s gonna get help!” 

Ian was pensive, and he held a finger up. “Actually... let him get help. Knowing him he will run to B and he will embarrass the boss more,” he said. 

Lorraine leered, and Eddie chuckled. The few patrons inside exited the snack bar in fear of what was going to take place, and someone threatened to call the police, which was ignored by the gangs.

“All of the pieces are coming together,” said Eddie, grinning. 

Dennis turned the corner and dropped everything he was holding, his jaw following suit. “Oh no,” he whispered. 

Adam and Terry were fighting, their punches and kicks landing on spots that made Dennis feel queasy. He heard the gasps and grunts of his superior, struggling to win. Zack’s grip was firm on Annie as he used her as a shield against Terry’s friends, who kept their distance to avoid hurting her. They turned to Adam, and their fists were locked and ready to pummel him. 

And as Ian predicted, Dennis sprinted out of the snack bar to summon the second in command. 

~~ 

Ricky clenched his fists and trudged towards the pink-haired greaser. 

“Hey dipshit!” he yelled. 

The greaser kept walking. 

“Hey dipshit! I’m talkin’ to you!” he yelled again. Another moviegoer yelled at Ricky to shut up but it was ignored. 

Hearing the curse, the pink-haired greaser turned around. 

“Excuse you,” the greaser spat back. He just kept walking. 

Ricky grabbed the XI on Marty’s back and tugged him to the ground. 

“The hell was that for ya son of a bitch?! I didn’t do nothin’!” Marty exclaimed from the ground. His jacket fell to his shoulder and he shrugged to fix itself back up. He was beginning to stand up but Ricky grabbed him by the shirt collar, stopping him from rising. 

Ricky clenched a fist in the air. “This is for my friend,” he seethed. He shot the fist forward and it crunched the cartilage in Marty’s nose. Marty wailed in agony as blood began dripping. 

Rocco perked up in Lee’s car which was nearby. “Did you hear that?” he asked. “That sounded like Marty.” 

Lee nodded, concerned. “Yeah, let’s go find him,” he said. Rocco, Sherry, and Lee jumped out of the car and searched the lot for Marty, following the sound of his scream amidst the movie’s unnerving soundtrack. 

~~ 

Dennis panted, causing B and Ellie to stir. 

B rolled his eyes. “Can’t you see we’re busy?” he said, annoyed. 

Dennis tried to catch his breath. “It’s Adam... Crusin for a bruisin’.... Snack bar,” he replied, panting heavily. 

B released Ellie and jumped out of the car immediately, ready to answer the call to arms. He helped Dennis stand up. “Stay with her, I’ll be right back,” he said with finality, heading towards the fight. 

Ellie watched him go, and she opened the car door. 

“Wait! Ellie! Where ya goin? It’s not safe over there!” Dennis exclaimed. 

She turned to her best friend, a bit somber. 

“I wanna see what I signed up for,” she said, running to catch her rebellious prince. 

~~ 

Rocco, Sherry and Lee froze in their tracks as they saw Ricky beating Marty to a pulp. Marty’s swollen eyelids began to flutter as he was disoriented in the dimness, frantically punching and kicking the air but only managing to scratch Ricky’s cheeks instead. 

Lee grabbed Ricky by the back of his letterman and punched him in the gut, throwing him off Marty and hoping that it would tame the beast. 

“Hey man, cool it!” Lee exclaimed, pushing Ricky into the dirt. 

Rocco and Sherry helped Marty to his feet, his visage marked by purple and red. 

“Marty, are you alright?” Sherry asked. 

All Marty could do was nod, woozy as he winced in pain and blindness. 

Ricky glared at the four of them, clutching his stomach. Lee just stood tall and crossed his arms, ready to fight if he needed to. Realizing he was outnumbered, Ricky straightened out his letterman and pocketed his bloodied fists. “Greaser trash,” he snarled. He spat on Lee’s shoes and trudged back to his car, his appetite unexpectedly satisfied. 

~~ 

B rushed to the entrance of the snack bar, agape and angry, as he witnessed Terry and Adam landing punches. Soon Terry’s friends joined in. One jock in a faded green letterman was about to grab Adam’s sleeve, but B sprinted and tackled him into the floor before he could do so, punching him in the side. Another one who was wearing red and yellow was ready to kick B off of his friend, but before his foot made contact, Al ambushed him, his big arm locked around his neck. Al grabbed the jock’s letterman and threw him aside, stumbling to the floor. Dylan then emerged and punched the jock’s chest hard and dug his shoulders into the ground as he fought lamely to escape, breathless. Leo sat on the counter, shuffling his cards and laughing at the spectacle. 

“What a rumble we have here!” he marveled. 

“You just gonna sit there, Number X?” asked B, who was wrestling with the jock in green. He was trapped beneath constricting arms, wiggling and punching on all sides to break free.

Leo rolled his eyes and pinned the green jock by stomping on the enemy’s hand hard into the tiles. The jock screamed, clutching his palm and releasing B. 

B stood up and brushed himself off. He grabbed Terry and shoved him away from Adam. Terry wiped his mouth, which already dripped blood. 

“Cool it! Both of you,” he yelled, glaring at them. He glanced at Annie, who still cowered in Zack’s grasp. 

B scoffed. “The fuck, Zack, let her go. She’s not your pet,” he commanded. Zack rolled his eyes and released Annie, whose wrist had turned a bright pink. She whispered a “thank you” to B and yanked Terry away, pleading to not get involved anymore. 

Terry glanced at his friends and the greasers let them go, with Leo, Dylan, and Al howling obnoxious taunts as they retreated.

Adam stood there, huffing and angry that B had both intervened and stole his spotlight. 

B turned to his superior and crossed his arms. “I thought we agreed we wouldn’t get into any fights tonight,” he said. 

Adam averted his eyes, spitting blood to the floor and allowing his wrath to simmer. 

“Adam can do what he wants. The same shouldn’t be said for you, Number II,” snapped Zack, who blew smoke in his face. 

B waved the scent away, immediately realizing the fumes were as pesky as gnats. 

Suddenly, Marty, Rocco, Sherry, and Lee entered the building. Rocco and Sherry held up a broken Marty, who was groaning and wincing in pain. 

“Oh what now?” B whined, throwing his hands up. 

Lee approached him. “Marty did something stupid. Pissed someone off,” he said, pointing to Number XI’s sorry state. 

Marty groaned. “Always gotta take the side of the jock, eh Red? Maybe you should join ‘em, playing football and footsies while you’re at it.” 

Lee grabbed Marty by the shirt collar, clenching teeth. “You want footsies I’ll give ya footsies, pal!” he snapped. 

“Lee, stop! It's not worth it,” Sherry exclaimed, holding Marty tighter. 

Lee loosened his grip and huffed. Marty snickered. “What a pansy.” 

“That’s enough,” B commanded. He sighed and slicked back his hair, trying to regain his composure. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dennis and Ellie, watching him from the door. Ellie gave him a reassuring smile, and his lips curled up a bit in acknowledgement. 

“Pick yourselves up. We’re having a meeting,” B ordered, his features stern again. Zack spat at the ground in disgust, begrudgingly following Number II’s orders with Number I in tow. Zack looked to Adam, the true superior, and the guy couldn’t even return the gaze. He seemed to choke on his own shame and anger. 

Al and Dylan gave each other a high five for the victory over the jocks. Leo shuffled his cards as he spoke with Lee. The redhead was pissed at Marty for getting himself in trouble and ruining the movie he and the two freshmen were supposed to enjoy. Sherry pressed ice against Marty’s bruises, and Rocco begrudgingly fulfilled Marty’s request for popcorn. 

B exited the building and found Dennis and Ellie. Ellie embraced B, sighing. “So glad you’re okay,” she admitted, clutching the II on his back. 

B chuckled, returning the embrace. “Maybe I should get into fights more often,” he teased. 

Dennis coughed. 

Ellie released B, keeping her hands to herself. “Sorry Dennis. I can hug you later if you want,” she joked. 

B chuckled. “Speaking of which... Dennis, take Ellie home,” he ordered. 

“With what car?” Dennis asked. 

B threw his keys at Number IX in response. “I’ll hitch a ride with Red and the fresh meat. Meet us at the usual spot when she's home,” he instructed. 

Dennis nodded, grabbing Ellie’s arm. “Come on, kitten.” 

“Wait,” she said. 

She ran up to B and hugged him again, her arms wrapping tighter. “Promise me you won’t get into any more trouble” she whispered. 

B nodded and hugged her back, relishing in the embrace which grew warmer than the end of a cigarette. He smiled and hugged her closer, savoring the intimate moment in the hopes that it would last an eternity. He wished he didn’t have to say anything so that she could never part, but he fulfilled her desire by whispering two simple words. 

“I promise.” 


	5. Re: Organization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Power dynamics in The Organization run amuck as they meet under a full and faultless moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh I would've loved to see this in canon KH. For a dysfunctional group of Nobodies, something like this was bound to happen.

The ride home was silent until Dennis asked a question. 

“So… did ya like the flick?” 

Ellie looked at her best friend, smiling to hide her concern. “It was alright. Definitely made a statement of sorts. Did you?” 

He shook his head. “Nah, aliens are bad luck for me now.” 

Ellie raised an eyebrow. 

Dennis responded to her confusion with a scoff. “I’m broke, kitten! That conniving Leo can’t be bamboozled!” 

Ellie laughed. “I think you don’t know how to pick your battles.” 

He scoffed. “Well I hate fighting so I regret my decision to even gamble in the first place.” 

“Why’d you even join this gang in the first place?” 

A moment of silence ensued, causing Dennis to quickly glance out the window and shift uncomfortably in his seat. 

“I did it for you,” he muttered. 

“What? I couldn’t hear ya, Water-Works!” she teased, poking him. 

He sighed. “Ellie, I did it for you,” he repeated, a little louder this time. “When we were kids you always stood up for me, and I thought maybe… if I joined this gang I could show you I can be tough too. And that I can protect you with the power vested in this jacket.” 

Ellie burst out laughing, causing Dennis to blush and sink in his seat. 

“Hey! That’s not funny!” he exclaimed. 

Ellie wiped a tear. “You a superhero or something, Water-Works?!” she laughed. She gave Dennis a playful punch on the arm. “Dennis, you got nothing to prove to me. It’s actually kinda nice that you’re soft. I can boss you around. And while I do admire the jacket on your scrawny ass, you gotta be careful with who you hang around with.” 

He scoffed. “Look who’s talking Mrs. Number II.” 

She rolled her eyes. “He’s different,” she muttered. 

“So is this gang, kitten! You should know that after Rocco joined, things started to turn for the better.” 

“How so?” 

Dennis slicked his hair back. “Well, let’s just say, you changed B.” 

He turned the wheel and parked across the street from her house. He cut the engine and turned to his best friend. 

Her dark eyes were wide, curious, waiting for him to explain. 

He smiled. “It’s because of you that he wants this gang to be something else entirely. And given his role as segundo and that fact that the majority of us are thinking of going to college, it totally makes sense to turn a new leaf.” 

She blushed, a grin beginning to emerge. “He wants to go to college?” 

He chuckled. “Sure he does! He’s a smartie-pants just like you! Come on, kitten, you know this. You two have chemistry,” he said, grinning too. 

She laughed, but then realized something. “What about Adam? He didn’t look too jazzed when B stepped in to stop the fight,” she said. 

Dennis sighed. “Power struggle. Adam thinks B wants to be the leader, and B has been flaunting it by having meetings without Adam, mandating things, being more of a goody-two shoes with the heat, and so on. But I can’t say I disagree with B. First of all, I’m your wingman, and second, I wanna go to college too! Before Rocco joined, I thought that causing trouble would make us more popular, cooler, would get us the respect we deserve as the bottom rung... But the way I see it, everyone hates us! Everyone’s afraid! No one wants to be friends with us. Even Rocco and Sherry, who are really sweet kids. They kinda do their own thing together or with Lee. I don’t like that at all--the separation, the ‘us versus them’ mentality, the feeling that you don’t fit in at school... I don’t think that’s tough, nor does it make sense.” 

“And you still kept the jacket?” she asked. 

He chuckled. “I fit in with them, don’t I? Plus, I kept the jacket because I thought it looked pretty nifty... And B is a cool guy, who wouldn’t want to match with him?” 

She laughed. “Glad you see it my way,” she admitted. 

He crossed his arms, smirking. “Well well well, it looks to me you don’t hate greasers as much as you say you do.” 

“Who said I hated greasers?” 

He scoffed. “Come on! All day today you were telling not just B, but also me, to not get in trouble! It’s your catchphrase or something. You turn up your nose whenever you say that. Like we’re reeking of shit.” 

“I don’t turn up my nose!” she argued. 

He laughed. “As if, kitten. You might as well call yourself a cheerleader. ’Oh B, promise me you won’t get in trouble!’” he mocked in a falsetto, snickering. 

She rolled her eyes. “Ha-ha, very funny, Dennis.” 

He opened the car door. “Hey there’s no shame in it! I thought it was cute. Anyway, we should go. We’re burning moonlight and your parents might look for ya. We should put ya to bed.” 

Dennis escorted Ellie to the front door, where she hid a key in a space behind the mailbox. 

“Thanks for taking me home, Dennis. And thanks for bringing B over. I really do like him,” she said. 

Dennis smiled. “Anytime, kitten. I’ll make sure he’s outta trouble for ya. Myself included,” he said. 

She hugged him, which was one of many that they have shared since they’ve known each other. She traced the IX on his back, which marked him as one of them--a soldier of sorts in a social war that shouldn’t have started in the first place. They were never well-off, and all they wanted was to fit in a world that was. This jacket was worth more to Dennis than all of the money in the world. It meant protection, support, loyalty... 

And friendship. 

“You know Ellie, I think joining The Organization was the best decision I’ve ever made,” he said. 

She released him. “You think so?” 

He nodded. “Yeah! Misdemeanors aside, they watch my back and they’re pretty inclusive. I kinda wish you joined too.” 

“Nah, that’s not my thing,” she replied. 

“Oh that’s right. You’re a chess club type of gal.” 

“Am not.” 

“Are too!” he said, sticking his tongue out. 

She gave him a playful punch. “If you really knew me you would know I’m a dunce when it comes to chess.” 

“You’re smarter than me, I’ll give ya that,” he said, resting an arm around her shoulder, grinning. 

She chuckled. “I’ll see ya tomorrow, Dennis. We could grab a pizza or something and study for this damn test." 

He whistled. “Agreed. Looking forward to the pizza—I mean, studying about... beryllium.” 

She smirked. “Bet you don’t know its atomic number,” she said. 

He thought for a moment. “I definitely know it’s NOT one! Or two... right?” 

She chuckled. “Good night, Dennis!” she said, waving as she unlocked the front door. 

He descended the steps. “Nighty-night kitten! Don’t drool too much over your knight in shining leather.” 

She chuckled. “You better not, either, Water-Works!” 

~~ 

“I thought we agreed no fighting,” said B, with his arms crossed and lips pursed in disappointment. 

Adam stood in the center of their group, awaiting judgement for his transgression. He was cut and bruised in several spots across his face, and he clutched his rib, hunched over in soreness. 

“It wasn’t my fault,” he replied.

“Sure it was. You picked a fight with a jock,” argued Eddie, who stood next to B. 

“Ahh the cold-shouldered Eddie. Never thought I’d see the day where you would be in cahoots with B,” Adam replied, frowning. 

“The times are changing, Adam. It’s long overdue,” said Ian, who sat on top of a ledge. 

“Says the sophomore who still has a long way to go,” retorted Zack, puffing on a fresh cigarette. Wisps of smoke clouded his seemingly pointed ears as he leaned against a broken brick wall. 

“Enough! We’re not about to rumble amongst ourselves now, are we?” chided B, grinning as his suspicions of mutiny were confirmed. 

He turned to Adam. “Look, it’s high-time we retired the stupid stuff we do, alright? We got a future to worry about."

“Whoo! Say it louder for the people in the back!” exclaimed Dennis, who was the only greaser that applauded. And he indeed was in the back, since he had arrived later than everyone else. 

“Shut your trap,  _ slabak _ ! Can’t you see Number II has taken the stage?” chided Dylan with a smile that mirrored B. 

B looked around, noticing that almost all of the greasers were watching him, like wolves ready to prowl at the command of their alpha. 

He turned to Adam. “Why don’t you have a seat, Adam? We gotta talk and make some sense outta this,” said B. 

Lee brought up a chair and Adam sat down. He sighed silently in the relief of bearing his weight on something else. 

B paced before Adam, his hands behind his back, his scar wavering as he pursed his lips in thought. 

“Now, then, Superior. Lay it on us. What happened?” he asked. He took a seat on the run-down ledge before Adam. Flicks of lighters and glints of switchblades shown in the scarce firelight of the abandoned building. They appeared like ghosts of a spooky, bonfire tale. 

Adam was still hunched over his rib, and he glanced up at B. B’s dark eyes transformed into a yellow as he flicked open a lighter, but he stopped the flame from brushing the tip of the cigarette dangling from his mouth, flicking his wrist to kill the fire. He nestled the cigarette back behind his ear. 

This made Adam curious. He began his alibi. “I was hungry and wanted to get a snack. Thought the paper shaker was a looker and I made a move. That’s it,” he stated. 

“I second that,” added Zack. 

B glanced to Marty, who was now bandaged. Marty, for once in his life, was paying attention. 

“What’s your story, Pinky?” B asked. 

Marty just shrugged. 

Lee went up and shoved him. “I saw you, Marty! You did something to that jock, didn’t you?!” Lee exclaimed. 

“Hey, cool it, Red!” he yelled, pushing Lee off. Marty rolled his shoulders, fixing the jacket and brushing the dust off his arms. He huffed. “I didn’t do nothin’ alright?!” he yelled. 

“Bullshit!” exclaimed Lee. 

B turned to Rocco and Sherry, leaving his place at front and center. He approached their far corner, for they huddled together both in fear and amazement of what was happening. 

B extended a hand to Sherry, and she took it cautiously to stand up. 

“Sherry, baby, why don’t you enlighten us?” B asked gently, smirking. He gave her a gentle nudge to the center of the group, and the greasers around her shot bullets in the dark with their glares and threatening smiles. 

She turned to Rocco, who gave her a nod and reassuring beam. 

She folded her hands, and stared at them as if praying for salvation. “Well, um, Marty was being punched by a jock...” she muttered. 

“Sherry, I need you to speak up for me,” B commanded. 

She nodded, and released her hands, but her gaze never left the ground. She fidgeted with the cuffs of her jacket. “Yes, um, Lee, Rocco, and I stepped in to stop it. Lee defended Marty but didn’t fight back,” she explained. 

B nodded. “Thank you, Sherry. You can have a seat,” he said. 

Sherry nodded and retreated to Rocco, and Rocco gave her a thumbs up, which made her smile. 

B smiled too. He then turned to Marty. “Now then, I truly wonder what sort of shenanigans caused those bruises and cuts on that pretty face of yours,” B mused. 

Marty shrugged. “Beats me,” he lied. 

B turned to Lorraine. “You! I think you know something. You two are friends, right?” he asked. 

She rolled her eyes. “What of it?” she retorted. 

B smirked. “Let’s just say, a cute little bird told me you ruined her periodic table,” he accused. 

Leo’s jaw dropped to the floor. “Oh how the tables have turned!” he marveled, laughing and almost dropping his deck of cards. 

Dylan and Al chuckled. “B’s pretty sharp, can’t mess with him,” Al added. 

B encroached upon Marty. “If you bullied my gal, chances are you bullied someone you weren’t supposed to. Now that’s very naughty,” said B. He drew his switchblade and flicked it several times. 

Lorraine gulped, but narrowed her eyes away, pretending not to be intimidated. “So?” was all she could say. 

“So... My guess was that you and/or Marty snatched dough from some kid, got his jock friend upset, and now Marty is mincemeat. Am I wrong?” he surmised. 

Ian chuckled in amusement. “Negative,” he answered for them. 

B smirked. “Knew I could count on you, Ian,” he said, nodding to Ian. He turned to both Lorraine and Marty. Marty maintained an air of nonchalance to hide his fear, but Lorraine glared. 

“You’re lucky you get to be in a position like this, B,” she seethed, pointing at his jacket. 

B raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What’re you trying to say?” he said, smirking. 

Eddie put a finger to his lips, and Lorraine saw it but scoffed. “Nothing,” she muttered. 

B noticed the eyes towards Eddie, and when he turned Eddie resumed his unassuming composure. 

“Well isn’t this a shitshow,” Adam muttered, still wincing from the pain. 

“Oh yeah, almost forgot,” B said, chuckling. “Now then, Adam, it looked like that guy Terry made a nice meal outta you.” 

“Fuck you,” Adam spat. 

Several of the greasers marveled at the exchange, and some rooted for a fight. 

“How was I supposed to know she was taken?” he argued. 

“You really don’t get around much do ya? I learned that if you really want someone, you gotta make that connection. Light up that spark,” said B, who flicked his lighter, then killed the flame. 

“I second that,” whispered Dennis, who smiled and nudged Lee. Lee nodded, pursing his lips and rubbing his chin.

B smirked. He took the cigarette from behind his ear and twirled it between his fingers. “Gotta admit Superior, that wasn’t very nice of ya to engage in a fight that you couldn’t even win.” 

This caused most of the greasers to yell “ooh’s” into the air, which added more weight to the tension. 

“If you fought back more, I would have,” Adam seethed. 

“What kind of gang are you if you don’t follow the leader?” added Zack, who looked around and puffed smoke from his calm words. 

Dennis stepped in, facing Adam. “Maybe you’re not the leader I want to follow anymore,” stated Dennis. 

Eddie whistled. “Well, it’s about time Water-Works stood up for something other than his skin,” he mused. 

B applauded. “Atta-boy, Dennis. Couldn’t say it better myself,” he said, standing next to him. 

Adam squeezed his eyes shut, the humiliation and mutiny stoking the flames of his rage. He clenched his fists as his blood boiled like lava in a volcano. It was too much to bear, and he exploded from his seat, knocking it over.

“Cheeky eh?” he yelled. He grabbed Dennis by the shirt collar, which made the blonde whimper. B twisted Adam’s wrist and shoved him off, smoothly unshackling the grip given his current state of weakness. He stumbled back. 

Dennis frowned, straightening out his shirt. “Hey man, that wasn’t cool,” he muttered. 

Adam hunched over, angrily clasping his wrist. He glanced at the greasers around him, who seemed to be reeking of pity for their once renowned superior. 

B stood before him, crossing his arms and meeting his yellow eyes. “Behave, Adam,” he said with authority. 

Adam glared at the usurper, but sheathed his fist in his pocket as he realized he was outnumbered. 

B turned around, glancing at his fellow greasers. “Ya know, I kinda find it hilarious that you even tried, Supe. You had to go for a paper shaker? Really? Don’t ya know girls like her think we’re the scum of the earth?” he said. 

Adam rolled his eyes. “I don’t need to explain anything to you,” he snapped. The fists in his pockets were about to burst at the seams.

B raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Alright then. I mean, just because I could do it doesn’t mean that you could too,” he quipped, with a cocky smirk.

Everyone guffawed, even the freshmen who were beginning to like B as their leader. 

Zack stomped on his cigarette. “I had enough of this,” he hissed. He grabbed the II on B’s back and readied a fist-- 

\--Until Dennis extended his arm and punched Zack first, knuckle crunching jaw. 

Everyone gasped, and some laughed in amazement, applauding and hooting.

“Haha now that’s how you do it in Soviet Russia!” yelled Dylan.

Dennis’s fingers were shaky as spots of purple appeared with the onset of pain in his knuckles. He winced as he curled his fingers, laughing and whimpering at the same time.

Zack yelped, releasing the II and falling to the floor. He gripped his cheek which was starting to sting. “What the hell, Dennis?!” he yelled. 

B turned. He whistled, laughing and applauding. “HAHA well lookie here, I think you need a promotion, Water-Works!” he marveled, wrapping his arm around Dennis’s shoulder. 

Dennis’s cyan eyes lit up like the stars. “R-really?” 

Leo, Al, and Dylan applauded. “Look at Water-Works being a hero tonight!” Leo yelled, whistling. 

Dennis smiled. “Oh wow, thanks guys!” he exclaimed. 

Adam huffed. “You want a softie like him to be promoted?” he said. “Under what authority?” 

B crossed his arms. “I think we should take it to a vote. All in favor of making Dennis Number II?” 

“What?! Number II?!” exclaimed Adam. “Are you saying that--” 

B rolled his eyes, taking a seat on the ledge. “Yes Adam. If it wasn’t clear, I’d like to take your place as superior. We’re gonna change things around here. I’ve had enough of these fights, the back alley shenanigans, and fitting in to what the jocks and cheerleaders think of us. It’s time we looked to a future that’s brighter than the moon.” 

Eddie chuckled. “You’re just saying that cuz you like Ellie,” he quipped. 

B raised an eyebrow, smirking. “No idea what you’re talking about,” he lied. “Now then, all in favor say aye.” 

Most of the greasers yelled in the affirmative, some howling like dogs. 

Dennis blushed many shades of pink. “Aw, wow, you guys are the best,” he admitted bashfully. 

B chuckled and shrugged off his jacket, tossing it to Dennis. “Here ya go, pal,” he exclaimed. 

Dennis grabbed it in the air, and marveled at the II that seemed to shine with the stars. 

Lee gave him a pat on the back. “Hey, congrats man,” he said. Sherry then ran up and gave him a hug. “You totally deserve it!” she said, wrapping her arms tight around his back.

B turned to Adam. “Give me the jacket, Adam. It’s time we became something else,” he said, beckoning towards Adam.

Adam clutched his jacket. “I won’t allow it,” he hissed, his grip creasing the leather.

B smirked. “Alright then. All in favor of making me Number I, say aye,” he stated. 

Everyone, except Zack and Adam, stood up and enthusiastically shouted an aye, the shouts sounding more like howling wolves in the full moon. 

Dennis, who now wore the number II, stood in front of B, crossing his arms to assert his authority over Adam. “You heard the gang. Give it up,” he commanded. He tossed his jacket with the number IX to Adam. 

Adam scowled at each and every member of his once notorious gang, who now found amusement in ousting his sorry state. He stood up proudly, spat in front of Dennis, and slammed his coveted jacket into the dirt, storming away. 

Zack huffed in anger and followed Adam, still wearing the number VII on his back. The hum of an engine and agitated gravel signaled their departure.

Everyone cheered and applauded in celebration, as B picked up the jacket on the ground and adorned his back with the number I. Most of the greasers gave B a pat on the back, slapping the I and exchanging high-fives as they howled with excitement. Some whistled and chanted that B was now Number I, The Organization’s leader.

Dennis flexed his fingers, ready to get to business. “So Boss, what’s our next move?” he said. 

B turned to him, grinning. 

“Gotta save a princess from a tower.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention that I love Xigbar and Demyx? I think The Organization would be much more fun with them in charge.
> 
> Also Demyx would make a great Shonen protagonist.


	6. Oathkeepers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happily ever after?

Ellie remained awake, reading Dennis’s note from this morning. She smiled and laughed, with a tear streaming down her cheek and landing onto the secret message on the back of his note.

Suddenly, she heard a clatter on her window and she pocketed the note. She opened the curtains, and lo-and behold... 

It was Blaine. 

She laughed and opened the window, wiping her happy tears. “What the hell? Isn’t it time for a greaser to go to bed?” 

Blaine chuckled. “Greasers never go to bed. We gotta protect princesses like you,” he said, grinning. 

“Hey, uh—could you hurry it up? Superior’s really heavy over here,” whimpered Dennis from below. 

Ellie gasped seeing her best friend struggle in bearing Blaine’s weight on his shoulders. “Dennis! Oh my gosh, why didn’t you call?!” 

Dennis laughed nervously. “Oh you know, it would take away from the romantic vibe. That’s not what we’re here for,” he panted as he upheld his boss’s feet.

“I guess so,” she replied. She turned to Blaine, whose eyes became a chocolate brown in her bedroom light, and whose cheekbones turned up perfectly in a soft smile. 

He grasped her hand. “Just wanted to apologize for what happened tonight. We didn’t get to talk like I said we would. But I swear to you things will change,” he said. 

“Yeah they will!” Dennis yelled from below. 

She raised an eyebrow. “How so?” she said, locking her hand in Blaine’s. She brushed her fingers across the bruises on his knuckles, wishing that her touch could heal his injuries.

Blaine smirked, caressing her palm. “Give it time, princess. I’ve got goals, and so do you,” he replied. 

She nodded, smiling. “Okay. I trust you,” she said. “For some unknown, otherworldly reason, I trust you--a greaser.” 

He chuckled. “You know, in a couple of weeks the definition of greaser will change in the dictionary. You’ll see,” he said. 

She crossed her arms, smiling. “Blaine, you don’t need to change the definition of anything. I thought a rebel like you would understand that,” she said. 

He smirked and he drew closer, squeezing her hand with longing. “Heh, look at you, Ellie. Giving me credit where none is due. You sure make a greaser feel like some sort of prince,” he replied.

Her smile faltered, her feelings now unleashed. “Maybe you are, to me,” she admitted.

For once in his life, Blaine’s grin fell, and his eyes betrayed a suppressed affection, which focused only on her lips. She smiled, and she brushed her nose against his before their lips melted into a soft and gentle kiss. A chill rushed through her, but the more she dissolved into him, the warmer she grew. She caressed the rough patch of scar on his cheek, tracing his flawless cheekbones.

They parted for a moment to lock eyes, and he smiled, kissing her again, a little more forceful this time. She closed her eyes and received it gracefully, caressing his soft neck as their lips melded into one. The whiff of gunsmoke and cologne whisked her away into another dimension, a heavenly place where it was only him that kept her feet on the ground and awakened the bliss of love in her heart. It was the union of breath and touch that was intoxicating, the only reason to be joyful in that very moment. It was a craving that was left unsatisfied as soon as he broke free.

“Whoopsie, did I move too little fast?” he crooned, caressing her jaw as their noses touched.

She shook her head in his palm, smiling dreamily, mesmerized by his charm and rugged allure. 

He chuckled, brushing her nose with his and tucking her hair behind her ear. “Good, I’ll see ya tomorrow,” he said, grinning. He gave her a peck on the cheek before jumping off of Dennis’s shoulders. Dennis rolled his arms and saluted up to Ellie as he retreated into the street. 

When he turned around, she noticed the new number II on his back and she gasped and marveled at its weathered glory. 

Blaine combed his hair back and saluted, the number I shining in equal brightness under the moonlight, its own sun in the dawn of a new era. He hollered with wild glee, relishing in the fact that he kissed the girl of his dreams, the princess of some back alley fairytale. 

Ellie giggled, her dream coming true in the span of a fateful Friday. After closing the window, she opened the note again to read it once more.

**_On a scale from 1-10, how much do ya dig B?_ **

She then flipped the paper, revealing the secret message.

**_On a scale from 1-10, how much do ya dig Ellie?_ **

The discovery brought tears to her eyes again, which overflowed like a cauldron of magic. Her smile quivered, and she felt her heart pounding with so much joy and energy that it felt trapped in her rib cage. His answer to Dennis's question was the catalyst to her racing heart, and why his kiss felt like a rapture. He was an escape from the dimensions of this universe, far into the depths of euphoria itself.

She touched Blaine's crude letters, which graced the margin with mischief and finality.

**_Wouldn’t you like to know?_ **

**lim** **1/x**

**x- >** **0+**

She laughed, hugging the note to her heart and fully understanding what it meant.

His answer was infinity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the end of an arc of sorts. Hope you liked it, and if you have been reading this far THANK YOU SO MUCH.
> 
> Also I can't format math for the life of me.


End file.
